White Fuzz - New tank Cycling finished ?

kash37 · 07/12/2010, 07:23 AM

I have a 28G Nanocube LED that was started on May 1 2010. After four weeks or so and constantly checking my parameters I started to stock the tank - very lightly. Currently I have 2 Ocellaris clowns and 1 Clove star polyp, a few blue hermit crabs and 5 or so snails, one Mexican turbo. The red legged crab (3 of them) seem to have died and I have lost two margarita snails. The snails were lost to the crabs - did not have enough shells at the time.

One more background note before I get to my question. During the cycling I did not have ANY ammonia spike. The max I got was 0.25ppm. Currently all my parameters are fine. I did start with LR from someone’s tank that was shut down for a few months. My lights run from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

My question is that I have this white fuzz on all my rocks. I can’t take a picture as it’s really difficult getting a clear picture. It white and spongy looking. Its over all the rocks and over the snail shells. When I change the water weekly, I do notice it reduces in many location’s for a few days and then it’s back. It feels a little slippery and cannot be blown away with the turkey baster and I cannot siphon it. I can brush it away with a toothbrush but not easily.

In addition I do not have any coralline algae growth – I know you need to introduce it, but what is the best and safest way to do this.

Palting · 07/12/2010, 07:29 AM

Does it look like this?

thegrun · 07/12/2010, 07:36 AM

It sounds like a fungal or bacterial mat. They are most common on live rock where there has been a die-off of the life forms on the rock. You may need to take a stainless steel wire brush to the rock to remove as much of the old dead material as possible. It will go away on its own over time, but cleaning the rock will help speed things up. As far as the coralline goes, the best bet is to find a fellow reefer (look in your local RC forum, I think there is a NJ forum) with a clean tank (no pests) and borrow a rock from them for your tank.

kash37 · 07/12/2010, 07:37 AM

Not really. In your pic it looks like clumps of hair. Mine looks even (no clustering or stands) all over the rock. Its more like a thin layer of shaving foam that's translucent in color.

thegrun · 07/12/2010, 08:21 AM

Check this web page under algae and then see fungal for pictures:
http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchhikers.html

KeMo · 07/12/2010, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegrun

It sounds like a fungal or bacterial mat. They are most common on live rock where there has been a die-off of the life forms on the rock. You may need to take a stainless steel wire brush to the rock to remove as much of the old dead material as possible. It will go away on its own over time, but cleaning the rock will help speed things up. As far as the coralline goes, the best bet is to find a fellow reefer (look in your local RC forum, I think there is a NJ forum) with a clean tank (no pests) and borrow a rock from them for your tank.

Clean That LR off . Turkey baster works , I used a toothbrush to rub off some of the die of on my rocks. Also have power heads aimed at the rock to blow off excess buildup.

MustangCaleb · 07/12/2010, 08:31 AM

next water change, fill a 5 gallon bucket with old water, then put your rocks in one at a time and scrub them off with a brush and shake them around to clean out some of that die off

Fishingpcola · 09/01/2010, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palting

Does it look like this?

Can anyone identify what is in this picture?

Palting · 09/01/2010, 08:29 PM

That's a bacterial bloom in a tank with nothing but live rock being fed frozen shrimp to keep the bacteria alive while awaiting other developments. Cleared up when water changes and vacuuming was finally started when the time was right, along with adding a CUC and corals. You can see the whole story on my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1853170

Fishingpcola · 09/02/2010, 06:20 AM

What is "CUC"? Thanks

Palting · 09/02/2010, 06:23 AM

Clean UP Crew. Hermits, snails, shrimp. Detrivores, things that eat detritus and help keep the tank clean.

Fishingpcola · 09/02/2010, 06:55 AM

Clean up crew is the only thing I have in my tank. Should I add some frozen food to feed the good bacteria?

dcombs44 · 09/02/2010, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishingpcola

Clean up crew is the only thing I have in my tank. Should I add some frozen food to feed the good bacteria?

You'll need something to feed the clean up crew........

07/12/2010, 07:23 AM	#1
kash37 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Central NJ Posts: 9	White Fuzz - New tank Cycling finished ? I have a 28G Nanocube LED that was started on May 1 2010. After four weeks or so and constantly checking my parameters I started to stock the tank - very lightly. Currently I have 2 Ocellaris clowns and 1 Clove star polyp, a few blue hermit crabs and 5 or so snails, one Mexican turbo. The red legged crab (3 of them) seem to have died and I have lost two margarita snails. The snails were lost to the crabs - did not have enough shells at the time. One more background note before I get to my question. During the cycling I did not have ANY ammonia spike. The max I got was 0.25ppm. Currently all my parameters are fine. I did start with LR from someone’s tank that was shut down for a few months. My lights run from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM. My question is that I have this white fuzz on all my rocks. I can’t take a picture as it’s really difficult getting a clear picture. It white and spongy looking. Its over all the rocks and over the snail shells. When I change the water weekly, I do notice it reduces in many location’s for a few days and then it’s back. It feels a little slippery and cannot be blown away with the turkey baster and I cannot siphon it. I can brush it away with a toothbrush but not easily. In addition I do not have any coralline algae growth – I know you need to introduce it, but what is the best and safest way to do this.

07/12/2010, 07:29 AM	#2
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Does it look like this? __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

09/01/2010, 08:29 PM	#9
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	That's a bacterial bloom in a tank with nothing but live rock being fed frozen shrimp to keep the bacteria alive while awaiting other developments. Cleared up when water changes and vacuuming was finally started when the time was right, along with adding a CUC and corals. You can see the whole story on my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1853170 __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

09/02/2010, 06:23 AM	#11
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Clean UP Crew. Hermits, snails, shrimp. Detrivores, things that eat detritus and help keep the tank clean. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

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07/12/2010, 07:36 AM	#3
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	It sounds like a fungal or bacterial mat. They are most common on live rock where there has been a die-off of the life forms on the rock. You may need to take a stainless steel wire brush to the rock to remove as much of the old dead material as possible. It will go away on its own over time, but cleaning the rock will help speed things up. As far as the coralline goes, the best bet is to find a fellow reefer (look in your local RC forum, I think there is a NJ forum) with a clean tank (no pests) and borrow a rock from them for your tank.

07/12/2010, 07:37 AM	#4
kash37 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Central NJ Posts: 9	Not really. In your pic it looks like clumps of hair. Mine looks even (no clustering or stands) all over the rock. Its more like a thin layer of shaving foam that's translucent in color.

07/12/2010, 08:21 AM	#5
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Check this web page under algae and then see fungal for pictures: http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchhikers.html

07/12/2010, 08:31 AM	#7
MustangCaleb Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: ATL, GA Posts: 55	next water change, fill a 5 gallon bucket with old water, then put your rocks in one at a time and scrub them off with a brush and shake them around to clean out some of that die off

09/02/2010, 06:20 AM	#10
Fishingpcola Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pace Posts: 437	What is "CUC"? Thanks

09/02/2010, 06:55 AM	#12
Fishingpcola Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pace Posts: 437	Clean up crew is the only thing I have in my tank. Should I add some frozen food to feed the good bacteria?